Firestone remains in IndyCar

The American division of Bridgestone and Penske Entertainment have announced the signing of a long-term agreement, under which the Firestone brand will remain the exclusive tire supplier for the IndyCar championship, the Indy NXT support series, and the annual Indianapolis 500 race.

This year, Firestone is conducting its 25th consecutive season in IndyCar as the sole tire supplier, and the brand's history in open-wheel racing spans over 100 years, with the company's tires, which were acquired by Bridgestone in 1988, having been used, among other things, in the very first Indianapolis 500 race held in 1911.

"For Bridgestone, motorsport is a true passion, and it always has been and always will be," said Paolo Ferrari, Executive Chairman and CEO of Bridgestone Americas. "And this is especially true for our Firestone brand, which has been competing at the world level since its victory in the first Indy 500."

As part of its partnership with IndyCar, the company is working to make the championship more environmentally friendly. Thus, in 2023 and 2024, tires were developed for the Indianapolis 500 using materials from difficult-to-recycle plastic and palm oil production waste. In addition, for the last two seasons, tires have been supplied with sidewalls made from natural rubber from guayule, a shrub that grows in dry areas and is considered one of the alternative sources of raw materials for the tire industry.

"Firestone has been a key partner of our series since the very first Indy 500 and remains so to this day, playing an important role in the development of the NTT IndyCar Series and its races," said Roger Penske, Chairman of the Board of Penske Corporation. "We are very proud to continue our long-term partnership and are confident that it will be just as productive in the future."

Under the agreement, Firestone will continue to serve as the title sponsor of the Indy NXT support series (full name - Indy NXT by Firestone), which aims to help improve the skills of talented drivers of the next generation and attract new audiences, as well as retain its status as an official partner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

All Firestone Firehawk racing tires are developed and manufactured at the Bridgestone Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC) in Akron, Ohio, which opened in 2022 just across the road from the American division of Bridgestone's technology center. As the company notes, this proximity allows the Firestone team to closely collaborate with other Bridgestone engineers and "create new innovations based on ideas born in motorsport".